Joint
Federal and State Investigations into Drug Trafficking Results in
Arrests of 18 People

(BROWNSVILLE,
TX) United States Attorney Michael Shelby announced today the arrest
of eighteen individuals charged with various drug distribution and
money laundering crimes alleged in three separate indictments returned
in January 2005. Two of the indictments were returned by a Brownsville
grand jury and the third by a grand jury in Corpus Christi, Texas.
The cases will be prosecuted in the division where they have been
filed. The arrests of persons charged began on Friday, February 4,
2005. Defendants have been making their initial appearances in federal
court throughout the week.

The arrests
were the result of two separate Organized Crime Drug Enforcement
Task Force (OCDETF) investigations conducted jointly by special agents
of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Immigration and Customs
Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue
Service, officers of the Brownsville, Harlingen, San Benito, and Port
Isabel Police Departments, the Cameron County Sheriff's Office and
the
Cameron County District Attorney's Office. The OCDETF investigations
code-named Operation Santa Muerte and Operation Alias investigated
illegal drug distribution both within the Brownsville and Corpus
Christi, Texas,
areas and from Texas to other parts of the United States.

Commenting
on the results of the investigative effort, United States Attorney
Mike Shelby said, “The investigative effort evidenced
by the return of these three indictments demonstrates our continuing
commitment to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking and money laundering
organizations operating in the United States. Our efforts will continue.”

United States
v. Marcos Estrada, et al. (Corpus Christi Division)

Marcos Estrada
and four other persons were indicted by a Corpus Christi grand jury
on January 12, 2005. The seven count indictment charges the
defendants with various federal violations, including conspiracy to
possess with intent to distribute multi-kilograms quantities of cocaine,
conspiracy
to launder drug proceeds and numerous other controlled substances violations.
The alleged illegal conduct began in August, 2002 according to the
indictment, continuing through January, 2005.

Marcos Estrada,
24, of Brownsville, Daniel Sanchez, 33, of Bonita Springs, Floriday,
and Fernandez Holland, 41, Ronald Rodriguez, 30, and Ruben
Ulloa, 23, all of Brownsville, are charged in the conspiracy to possess
with intent to distribute cocaine carrying a ten years to life imprisonment
punishment range.

Marcos Estrada
is also charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute
cocaine in August 2004 carrying a maximum of twenty years
imprisonment, upon conviction .

In addition
to the drug conspiracy charge, Daniel Sanchez and Fernandez Holland
are accused.